Amateur-built Moni accident near Locust Grove, Georgia, November 3, 2001
On November 3, 2001 at about 6:10 pm local time, a amateur-built Moni (glider), registered N117JB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Locust Grove, Georgia (Mallard'S Landing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent uncontrolled descent into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2001 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Locust Grove, Georgia · Mallard'S Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Moni
- Registration
- N117JB · registry record · serial 21
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft executed a high-powered pass approximately 25 feet above ground level down runway 07, then performed an abrupt pull-up into steep climbing loop maneuver. About 200 to 300 feet above the ground, the aircraft was inverted at the top of the loop, then it rolled upright and entered what appeared to be a stall, followed by a spin, and collided with the ground. Two witnesses reported the engine "burped," while other witnesses reported the engine sounded as if it were running smoothly. Examination of the wreckage revealed the nose section was separated, and the wings displayed extensive perpendicular crush damage. Continuity was established from the cockpit controls to the flight control surfaces. Engine continuity was established and both cylinders exhibited compression when the engine was turned by hand.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 36,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA04 Locust Grove GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from FFC, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL02LA009.